My country:
Gold Sparkling image

Wishing you joy this festive season

A festive story

Following the success of our festive video in 2021, we wanted to celebrate the unsung heroes of our community for our 2022 production.


The short film was shot over two evenings in November working alongside Wrexham production company, Follow Films.

Our story finds the Metcalfe family at home at Christmas, writing letters to Santa. They’re interrupted by a knock at the door, finding a mysterious box has been delivered to their doorstep. Marvelling at what they find inside, they set about spreading festive joy around the city, visiting a famous hospital chaplain and radio host, a community dance school teacher, a university librarian, the crew of the Prince Madog research vessel and a university research lab assistant.

But will their little adventure deliver the magical Christmas to the community that the children have wished for?
 

[00:01] Boy of 10 and a girl of 7 lying at home by the fire writing letters to Santa. The room is decorated for Christmas. 
[00:05] Their letter reads: “Dear Santa, I would like everybody to have a magical Christmas, from Nancy.” A magical sparkle is seen on the envelope. 
[00:07] A knock at the door 
[00:10] The boy and girl are at the door, looking outside. 
[00:13] They discover a box has been left on the doorstep. They pick up the box and open it. The contents of the box sparkle. 
[00:19] The mother and father join the children at the door.  The boy and the girl nod at each.
[00:27]  Family throw on coats and hats, then run up the street carrying the box. 
[00:30] We see them running outside a large 19th century building, Main Arts Building, Bangor University
[00:31]  We see the little girl running along a library passageway and hand a silver box with a bow to a librarian. 
[00:42] The librarian opens the box and looks delighted as a sparkle emits from the box.
[00:47] We see the front of a hospital. Then the door to a hospital radio station. A red on-air light that reads “live. Mic”.
[00:52] We see a radio host wearing headphones and sitting in front of a microphone. He hears a knock at the door and goes to answer it. He looks around but there is nobody there. He finds a silver box at his feet and opens it, delighted.
[1:05] The family is running up to a dance school building. We see the little girl run inside, across a room of children taking a dance class and gifting a silver box to the dance schoolteacher who opens the box, shocked and delighted when she opens it.
[1:16] The family is seen running up a steep hill. The father stops to catch his breath and the family encourage him to keep going.
[1:22] We see laboratory research assistant looking down a microscope. A present is pushed on to the desk beside her. She opens it and looks delighted.
[1:34] We see a research vessel, moored on a jetty and the family is running down the jetty towards it. Inside we see a crew worker in the ship’s wheelhouse. The little girl leaves a silver box for him. He opens it and looks delighted.
[1:49] We see a memorial arch and the family descending some stairs at the side of a modern building. They stop, congratulating themselves for the speedy deliveries.
[1:55] A sparkle emits from the box being carried by the little girl and shoots towards a lit Christmas tree behind them.
[2:00] The family chases after the sparkle and takes out the glowing Christmas tree baubles from the box, adding them to the Christmas tree.
[2:10] The family suddenly looks sad as the baubles lose their glow.
[2:29] Just then we see the radio host, the dance teacher, the lab assistant, the librarian and the boat crew member appear with their Christmas baubles. They all add them to the tree, and they begin to sparkle.
[2:49] The camera pulls up and back to reveal a sparkling Christmas tree with people gathered all around it. The university building his visible in the background.
[2:58] The message on screen reads: “Have a magical festive season”
[3:03] The screen cuts to black with the Bangor University logo.
 

Family at front door of a house

Our stars - The Family Meet the Metcalfes

We knew we wanted to bring back the wonderful Metcalfe family who starred in last year’s film. So wonderful to work with, you’d never know that they weren’t professional actors!

Parents, Lisa and Stuart are Bangor alumni who met whilst studying at the University, and who both now work in the NHS.  Their daughter Nancy is now 7 years old, and son Alfie is 10, both had lots of fun making the film, a seasonal adventure that brings a warm feeling to our wonderful community.

My favourite bit was being in the cozy Christmassy house and on the boat.  I felt excited, happy and very lucky to make the film! 

Nancy Metcalf,  Star of Our Festive Film

The Elvis Radio Host

Radio host presenting a show at Ysbyty Gwynedd
Credit:Follow Films
Wynne Roberts has been Chaplain Manager at Ysbyty Gwynedd for over 25 years and is a well-known character not just in the local community, but throughout Wales.  

As well as his full-time role as Chaplain Manager, Wynne also presents on the hospital radio. He has been performing as an Elvis Presley tribute act since 2017, attracting crowds of up to 6,000 people! Wynne has combined his three careers to engage with audiences such as patients with chronic conditions and those living with dementia. 
Wynne’s efforts to help those around him have not gone unnoticed, being awarded the British Empire Medal by Queen Elizabeth II for his charitable services.

As a local, born and bred in Bangor and also a former student of the University, it was an honour to be part of this wonderful festive film.  As the Welsh Elvis, I wish you all a white (not blue!) Christmas!

The Dance School Teacher

Dance teacher in a class looking surprised as she holds a box
As well as being extremely busy teaching at her school, Academi Westend Academy, which has developed into a successful performing arts centre, Natalie Robb also works tirelessly for the Bangor community.

Serving as chair of the Bangor Community Group, which organises many events in Bangor City, Natalie also works with Gwynedd and Anglesey Council on numerous programmes and events including Summer Schemes for Children & Family Services, Mental Health Awareness, and runs a Community Skills Youth Club called ‘Hwb Westend Hub’ for the children in Bangor, which helps keep them off the streets.

I am extremely honoured to have been asked to be a part of this magical film and very proud that our pupils can be a part of the 2022 Christmas memories for Bangor University, such an important and inspirational part of our city.

 

The Research Lab Officer

Woman in lab
Credit:Follow Films
Charlie Hemley is a Research Project Support Officer for Sustainable Fisheries Wales at Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences.  

Charlie graduated in Marine Biology and Zoology in 2017, moving on to gain a Masters in Marine Environmental Protection in 2018.  She has now worked in her current role at Bangor University for 3.5 years.
Christmas for Charlie is all about enjoying the festivities with family.   

Being filmed for anything isn’t something I would normally do, or enjoy but, in the spirit of Christmas it was great to be part of this production for the University. It certainly got me in the festive mood!

The Librarian

Librarian smiling at a giftbox
Sarah Owen is Senior Library Support Assistant at Bangor University; her role is to supervise the day to day running of the support service in the library.  

Sarah has worked for the University for 27 years, so she obviously loves it!
Sarah loves spending time with family and friends over Christmas, in and around Bethesda where she lives.

I really enjoyed being a part of the film this year.  It was a wonderful opportunity to show off our beautiful library and promote Bangor University

Prince Madog Crew

The Prince Madog is a state-of-the-art, purpose-built research vessel commissioned by Bangor University.

It is used for research and to educate and train future marine scientists at the University. Arriving at the University in July 2001, it has since completed 170 voyages.

Crew member Marc Williams has been part of the vessel's crew for six months.  When he's not living on the Prince Madog as part of his Deckhand duties, he lives in Holyhead, Anglesey.  Marc loves the Christmas spirit, and especially loves the Prince Madog Secret Santa!

I really enjoyed being part of the festive film and supporting my local university.  Great to see the Prince Madog looking so incredible in the film.

Sparkling Christmas Tree outside Pontio & Main Arts Building with Caption 'Wishing You a Magical Festive Season'
Credit:Follow Films

Wishing You All a Magical Festive Season!

We hope you like this year's festive film.  
Thank you to everyone who played their part on and off screen.
Wishing you all a magical festive season!